Combination toilet and bedpan washer



1965 v R. L. JEWELL ETAL COMBINATIQN TOILET AND BEDPAN WASHER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 31. 1960 IN V EN TORS Jan. 26, 1965 R. L. JEWELL ETAL 3,166,767

- COMBINATION TOILET AND BEDPAN WASHER Filed Oct. 51. 1960 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS Jan. 26, 1965 JEWELL ETAL 3,166,767

COMBINATION TOILET AND BEDPAN WASHER Filed Oct, 51, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS United States Patent Q 3,166,767 CGMBINATION TGILET AND BEDPAN WASHER Raymond L. Jewell and Alvin Lodge, Erie, Pa, assignors to American Sterilizer Company, Erie, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 66,292

11 Claims. (Cl. 4-10) This invention is a combination toilet and bedpan washer designed more especially for use in hospitals. The

bedpan washer is built into the back of the toilet in such a manner that the combined unit requires only slightly, if any, more floor space than the toilet it replaces. The washer control is so arranged that it does not interfere with the conventional toilet flush control.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a front view of a combination toilet and bedpan washer, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the cover for the bedpan washer in the open position, FIG. 3 is a front view of the control for the washer with the cover open, FIG. 4 is a schematic of the control, FIG. 5 is a detail of the structure permitting independent operation of the flush valve control, FIG. 6 is a view showing the manner of holding the bedpan in the cover, FIG. 7 is a View showing the manner of holding a urinal in the cover, FIG. 8 is a top plan of the toilet, and FIG. 9 is a sectional side elevation of the toilet.

In the drawing, 1 indicates a toilet mounted on a wall 2 and having the usual seat 3 and flush valve control 4. At the back of the toilet is the bedpan washing cabinet 5 having a cover 6 hinged on the same hinge blocks 7 as the seat and normally held in a closed position by a latch 8 aided by gravity.

The cover 6 is of the general shape of a bedpan having around its outer edge an outstanding flange 9 terminating in a discharge throat 19 at the bottom of the cover between the hinge blocks. On the portion of the flange 9 which converges toward the discharge throat 10 are two inwardly extending lugs 11 (FIGS. 2, 6) which overlap externally projecting lugs 12 on the tapered sides of a bedpan. To mount a bedpan in the cover it is merely slipped in place and the narrow discharge end 13 of the bedpan then registers with the discharge throat 10 in the flange. The cooperating lugs 11 and 12 do away with the need for special clamps and holding fixtures. The lugs have smooth, rounded surfaces which inherently flush clean. At the center of the cover is a depression 14 for receiving a urinal 15 in position to discharge through the throat 10. The support is provided by lugs 15 on the urinal which hook under lugs 17 on opposite sides of the depression 14.

The back 18 of the washing cabinet likewise is of the general shape of a bedpan. Outstanding from the back Wall 18:: is a continuous side Wall E which terminates at either end on opposite sides of a channel 20 in the toilet. Thelower end of the back of the washing cabinet is sealed to a U shaped pad 21a on the upper surface of a horizontal flange 21 at the rear of the toilet. The discharge opening 21b at the lower end of the washing cabinet is of substantially the same size as the discharge opening for the bedpan so that water flows through this opening at a high velocity which flushes the surfaces clean. This is an important feature because the washing cabinet discharges to the rear of the toilet bowl outside the region in which the normal flushing action takes place. .Both the cover and back part of the washing cabinet are adapted to molding in one piece from plastic which inherently pro.- vides smooth, self-cleaning, interior surfaces. I

In the back wall of the washing compartment are two spray nozzles, an upper nozzle 22. and a lower nozzle 23 arranged to direct streams of water against appropriate surfaces of a bedpan or urinal supported in the cover.

3,166,767 Patented Jan. 26, 1 965 The toilet shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is of the siphon jet type and has at the back a vertical flange 24 for wall mounting. Obviously, other types of toilets could be used. The flush water for the toilet enters an opening 25d in the pad 21a and flows through the usual internal passageways in the toilet bowl, discharging water down the inner surface of the bowl and through jets 25 and 26. The water leaves the toilet through an outlet 27 in the wall mounting flange 24. The flange 21 is provided with bolt holes 28 for clamping the back member 18 of the washing cabinet and the hinge blocks 7 in sealing engagement with the upper surface of the pad 21a. As shown more clearly in FIG. 9, the channel 20 through which the washing compartment empties has a steeply sloped bottom wall 29 which maintains the high velocity water flow desirable for self-cleaning. The wall 29 serves as the front wall of toilet trap so that the overall floor space taken up by the toilet is only very slightly, if at all, greater than the conventional toilet. When viewed from the top, the rim 25a of the toilet bowl has a seat section 2512 at the front and a U shaped section 250 at the rear. The hinge blocks 7 are in the region where the seat section 25b joins the forward ends of the U section 250.

Above the washing compartment is a control cabinet 30 normally closed by a hinged door 31. The toilet flush lever 4 projects through one side of the cabinet and a lever 32 controlling the bedpan washing cycle projects through the opposite side of the cabinet. The control levers 4 and 32 may be operated independently, each for its own function.

The operation of the toilet flush lever 4 is conventional. When moved either upor down, its inner end 33 cams inward a plunger 34 controlling the usual flushvalve 35. As shown in FIG. 5, the inner end 33 of the lever A- is slotted to receive one arm 36 of a bell crank lever 37,.

pivoted at 37a. The bedpan washing control lever 32 is fixed to a rock shaft 393 carrying a cam lever 44 having a pointed cam surface 41. When the washing lever 32 is pulled down, the cam surface 41 cooperates with a roller 42 on the bell crank lever 37 and pivots the bell crank lever in a counter clockwise direction, thereby pushing the flush valve plunger 34 inward in the same manner as the flush lever 4. The slotted inner end of the lever A permits independent actuation of the plunger 34. The same actuation of the bell crank lever 37 takes place when the wash control lever 32'returns from its lower to its uppermost position. In both cases, the cam surface 41 turns the bell crank lever 3'7 in a counter clockwise direction and depresses the plunger 34.

At the start of the washing cycle, the lever 32 is in the, raised position and the cover 6 is held in the closed position by catch 8 biased to the closed position by a coil spring 43 surrounding a rod 44,,carried by an ear 45 on the lever 32; If the cover were not closed, the spring 43 would pivot the catch downward and move a positive stop 46 carried by the catch beneath the lever 32 so the washing cycle cannot be started until the cover is closed and latched. This is'necessary because the jets of water discharged through the nozzles 22 and 23 have considerable force and in the absence of a catch the cover would fly open. The downward movement of the lever also pushes downward a plunger 47 connected to a valve member 48 of a two way valve 49. This is effected through a bracket 50 on the lever which engages the upper end of the valve plunger. The downward and upward movement of the valve plunger is slowed by a dashpot 51 connected between one end of a bracket 52 and one arm 53 of a bell crank lever 54 pivoted at 54a on bracket 52. The other arm 55 of the bell crank lever ispivoted on the valve plunger 47. Between the bracket 1 52 and the arm 53 of the bell crank lever is a trapped 3 tension spring 56 which exerts a force on the bell crank lever tending to elevate the valve plunger 47. As the Valve plunger is lowered, the line of action of the spring approaches, but does not reach, dead center and the momentexerted bythe spring 56 on the bell crank 54 decreases and the elevating force exerted on the valve plunger is very slight. The downward movement of the valve plunger lowers the valve member to the dotted line position so that the water flowing through the flush valve is directed through outlets 57 and 53 respectively connected to the nozzles 22 and 23. The water pressure tends to hold the valve member seated in the dotted line position. When the flow of flush water is shut oil, the water pressure is no longer efiective to hold the valve member in the lower position and the spring as elevates the lever 32 land the plunger 47 at a retarded rate due to the dashpot 51, thereby returning the valve member 43 to the full line position. During this movement, the cam surface dl'again actuates the flush valve plunger and starts a second flow of flush water. Since the valve member 43 is in the upper position, this flush water flows through the outlet 59 connected to the flush inlet 25 for the toilet and produces the regular flush.

During the first stage of the washing cycle, all of the water flowing through the flush valve 35 is discharged so that during the second stage some of the water flows through the nozzles 22 and 23. were adequate, washing and flush ng could be combined.

If the Water pressure The separation into two stages is more suited to the average water pressures. Separate controls may be provided for Washing and for flushing and other interlocks provided to cause the sequential operation in a manner the same or equivalent to the control associated with lever 32.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a combined toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having a rim with a U section at the rear and a seat section at the front, said bowl having side walls and a sloped bottom wall below said U section defining a channel draining toward the front of the bowl, a trap leading from the bowl to an outlet, said trap having said bottom wall as its front wall, a washing cabinet having back and side walls with lower ends sealed to said U section, a cover for the front of the cabinet, means for supporting a bedpan between the cover and the back wall of the cabinet, a seat for the bowl, said cover and seat bridging the front end of said channel, and hinge blocks for the cover and seat on each side of the front end of said U section, the cover and back and side walls of the cabinet defining in the closed position of the cover a discharge throat at the bottom of the cabinet registering with said U section.

2. In a combined toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having a rim with a U shaped section at the rear and a seat section at the front, said bowl having side walls and a sloped bottom wall below said U section defining an open top channel draining toward the front of the bowl, a trap leading from the bowl to an outlet, said trap having said bottom wall as its front wall, a seat for the bowl, hinge blocks for the seat on each side of the forward end of said U section, a cover bridging the channel at the forward end of said U section, and a washing cabinet having means for. supporting a bedpan and a throat discharging into the channel to the rear of the seat.

3. In a combined toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having a continuous rim with a U shaped section care? "A! at the rear and the forward ends of said U section merging into a seat section at the front, a seat for the bowl with the back end of the seat bridging the forward end of said U section, a washing cabinet having provisions for supporting a bcdpan and a discharge throat at its bottom registering with said U section, said bowl having side walls and a sloped bottom wall below said U section defining a channel draining toward the front of the bowl, and a trap leading from the bowl to an outlet, said trap having said bottom wall as its front wall.

4. In a combined toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having a rim with a U shaped section at the rear with the forward ends of the U section merging into a seat section at the front of the bowl, a washing cabinet having back and side walls with lower ends sealed to said U section, and a cover for the front of the cabinet having its lower end hinged to the bowl and bridging the front ends of said U section and defining with the back and side walls of the cabinet, a discharge throat registering with said U section, and means for supporting a bedpan between the cover and the back wall of the cabinet.

5. In a toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having at its rear a washing compartment draining to the bowl and provided with spray nozzle means for a bedpan, a flushing inlet for the bowl, another inlet for the spray nozzle means, a two position valve having an inlet and having in a first position an outlet connected to said inlet for the spray nozzle means and having in a second position an outlet connected to the flushing inlet of the bowl, a flush valve having an inlet for connection to a supply line and having an outlet connected to the inlet of the two position valve, a control means for moving the two position valve to said first position for the duration of a flush cycle of the hush valve and then for moving said two position valve to said second position for the duration of a flush cycle of the flush valve, and an interlock between said control means and the flush valve for initiating a flush cycle at each of said changes of position of said two position valve.

6. In a toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having at its rear a washing compartment draining to the bowl and provided with a spray nozzle means for a bedpan, a flushing inlet for the bowl, another inlet for the spray nozzle means, a two position valve having an inlet and having in a first position an outlet connected to said spray nozzle means and having in a second position an outlet connected to the flushing inlet of the bowl, a flush valve having an inlet for connection to a supply line and having an outlet connected to the inlet of the two position valve, a control lever for moving the two position valve to said first position, spring means for moving the lever to the second position, means utilizing the pressure of water flowing through the valve for preventing move ment of the lever by the spring means to said second position for the duration of a flush cycle of the flush valve, and an interlock between said control means and the flush valve for initiating a flush cycle at each of said changes of position of said two position valve.

7. In a combined toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having a continuous rim with a U shaped section at the rear and a seat section at the front, said bowl having side walls and a sloped bottom wall below said U section defining a channel draining toward the front of the bowl, a trap leading from the bowl to an outlet, said trap having said bottom wall as its front wall, a washing cabinet having back and side walls with lower ends sealed to said U section, a cover for the front of the cabinet having provisions for supporting a bedpan between it and the back wall of the cabinet, a seat for the bowl, hinge blocks for the cover and seat on each side of the forward end of said Li section, the cover and back and side walls of the cabinet defining in the closed position of the cover a discharge throat at the bottom of the cabinet registering with said U section.

8. In a toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having at its rear a washing compartment draining to the bowl, a hinged cover for the front of the cabinet having provisions for supporting a bedpan, spray nozzle means discharging against the bedpan, a flushing inlet for the bowl, another inlet for the spray nozzle means, a sequential valve having an inlet and having in a first position an outlet connected to said spray nozzle means and having in a second position an outlet connected to the flushing inlet of the bowl, a flush valve having an inlet for connection to a supply line and having an outlet connected to the inlet of the sequential valve, a position lock for the cover, a control means for actuating the lock to lock the cover and then moving the sequential valve to said first position and then for moving said sequential valve to said second position, an interlock between said control means and the flush valve for initiating a flush cycle at each of said changes of position of said sequential valve, and means responsive to the pressure of the flush water for holding the control in the first position of the sequential valve for the duration of the first flush cycle.

9. In a combined toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having a seat section at the front and a channel at the rear, said channel being closed at the back end and open at the top and at the front end, a U shaped pad around the sides and back end of the channel, a washing cabinet having back and side walls with lower ends sealed to said pad, a hinged cover for the front of the cabinet having its lower end bridging the channel, and provisions for supporting a bedpan between the cover and the back wall of the cabinet.

10. In a toilet and bedpan washer, a toilet bowl having at its rear a washing compartment draining to the bowl and provided with spray nozzle means for a bedpan, a flushing inlet for the bowl, another inlet for the spray nozzle means, flush valve means for connection to a supply line, means for initiating sequentially a first and a second flush cycle of the flush valve means, means a downwardly sloped bottom wall below the side walls or" said U section, said bottom wall with the side walls of said U section defining a channel draining toward the front of the bowl to provide a discharge from said U section to the seat supporting section of said bowl, a trap leading from the bowl to an outlet, the inner face of said bottom wall defining a portion of the wall of said trap, a washing cabinet having back and side walls with lower ends sealed ttO said U section, a cover for the front of I the cabinet, means for supporting a bedpan between the cover and the back Wall of the cabinet, a seat for the bowl, said cover and seat bridging the front end of said channel, and hinge blocks for the cover and seat on each side of the front end of said U section, the cover and back and side walls of the cabinet defining in the closed position of the cover a discharge throat at the bottom of the cabinet registering with said U section.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 39i,249 Hughes Oct. 16, 1888 406,780 Scott "July 9, 1889 1,597,129 Vvatters Aug. 24, 1926 2,075,830 Salvoni Apr. 6, 1937 2,206,609 Klein July 2, 1940 2,344,649 Sloan Mar. 21, 1944 2,834,026 Kronish May 13, 1958 2,853,713 I Mello Sept. 30, 1958 

1. IN A COMBINED TOILET AND BEDPAN WASHER, A TOILET BOWL HAVING A RIM WITH A U SECTION AT THE REAR AND A SEAT SECTION AT THE FRONT, SAID BOWL HAVING SIDE WALLS AND A SLOPED BOTTOM WALL BELOW SAID U SECTION DEFINING A CHANNEL DRAINING TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE BOWL, A TRAP LEADING FROM THE BOWL TO AN OUTLET, SAID TRAP HAVING SAID BOTTOM WALL AS ITS FRONT WALL, A WASHING CABINET HAVING BACK AND SIDE WALLS WITH LOWER ENDS SEALED TO SAID U SECTION, A COVER FOR THE FRONT OF THE CABINET, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A BEDPAN BETWEEN THE COVER AND THE BACK WALL OF THE CABINET, A SEAT FOR BOWL, SAID COVER AND SEAT BRIDGING THE FRONT END OF SAID CHANNEL, AND HINGE BLOCKS FOR THE COVER AND SEAT ON EACH SIDE OF THE FRONT END OF SAID U SECTION, THE COVER AND BACK AND SIDE WALLS OF THE CABINET DEFINING IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF THE COVER A DISCHARGE THROAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CABINET REGISTERING WITH SAID U SECTION. 